A California state senator on Monday said she was drafting legislation to block Google Inc.'s free e-mail service "Gmail" because it would place advertising in personal messages after searching them for key words.<br><br>"We think it's an absolute invasion of privacy. It's like having a massive billboard in the middle of your home," Sen. Liz Figueroa, a Democrat from Fremont, California, told Reuters in a telephone interview.<br><br>Read the full story here.<br><br><br><br>

That is a little unnecessary I think. If people don't want it, then they don't have to use it. Give the people a choice instead of not even giving them the option.<br><br>So GMail would search email for keywords and then place ad's in the email based on those results. Big whoopidy-doo. I might use it as a good "on-the-go" email service that I could use to have all my spam sent to. Other then then, I have POP3 that I use for my email. Granted others may not have that option, but there are plenty of other services (Yahoo!, Hotmail, etc) that don't do what GMail supposedly does.<br><br>----<br>Stupidity is like nuclear power. It can be used for good or evil.... and you don't want to get any on you.

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----Stupidity is like nuclear power. It can be used for good or evil.... and you don't want to get any on you.

<blockquote><font size=1>In reply to:</font><hr><p>"We think it's an absolute invasion of privacy. It's like having a massive billboard in the middle of your home," Sen. Liz Figueroa, a Democrat from Fremont, California, told Reuters in a telephone interview.<p><hr></blockquote><p>Unless I'm completey misuderstanding this....... that's how they can give you 1 GB of mail FREE!!!!! Advertising! Whoda thunk it?!?!<br><br>I already have a billboard in my living room. It's called a television. (insert a rolling eyes gif here)<br><br><br><br>

I think the reason that they are going the privacy route is because the GMail service will actually search through your entire incoming and outgoing email for keywords, and respectivly add in advertisements to your email based on those keywords. It's basically dynamic advertising through email.<br><br>I can see their privacy concerns, but if Google makes everyone aware of it, and some people don't care about it, why not let them use it anyways?<br><br>----<br>Stupidity is like nuclear power. It can be used for good or evil.... and you don't want to get any on you.

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----Stupidity is like nuclear power. It can be used for good or evil.... and you don't want to get any on you.

Yes, and imagine sitting in the office with a client and you receive an email from a potential T-shirt vendor telling you that it's no problem to put your logo on the breast pocket of the T-shirt... followed by a banner ad for breast enhancement cream!!!<br><br>

I did a search for "breast pocket" on google, just to see what ads it would throw at me, surprisingly, it didn't give me any. "pocket" gives ads, as does "breast", but breast pocket gives nothing... hmm... maybe a good opportunity to get some cheap google adwords ;)<br><br>----------------------<br>I like my women like I like my coffee - in a sack, tied to the back of a donkey.

What if Google uncovers illegal activity described in the email? Is Google obligated to notify the FBI or the DHLS?<br><br>What if the FBI waits for Google to set precedent and refine the process of skimming people's email and then in the name of the Patriot Act adopt a similar process? Or worse. What if M$ decides to get on board. Imagine M$, who has a track record for pilfering code from the competition, puts out it's own half-baked version that has back doors rife with holes. M$ is always sniffing out additional revenue streams and as soon as the ad agencies jump in with both feet on this Google boogle, Google will have sealed their fate.<br><br>I'm sorry but to me email is personal. Not that I am reluctant to have what I've written exposed or anything like that. It's not necessarily as issue about content for me — it's about trust in the email system. To me there is no difference between email and snail mail. I treat both with respect (like a loaded gun). Has anyone ever sealed an envelope extra carefully? I have. I've even taken the extra step to seal a letter by putting a piece of tape over the flap! Some mail of mine I would consider extremely sensitive.<br><br>Until smarter minds have sorted this all out I think Google is treading dangerous ground. I know that unless you are sending encrypted email, all email can be read plain and simple. Just as surely as wireless activity can be intercepted and synthesized, this Google fiasco will open doors to other less-than-honest entreprenuers who can make a handsome living culling people's mail and selling to the highest bidder. American Airlines and Jet Blue comes to mind.<br><br>Besides has anyone ever received a letter through the US Mail that came to you opened? And we'ren't you suspicous of the post office? Where I'm from they have a stamp or label that must be affixed to the envelope stating that it came to them opened. I have often wondered how many people took a peek inside.<br><br><br><br><br>[color:blue]"Outside of the killings, Washington has one of the lowest crime rates in<br>the country,"<br>--Mayor Marion Barry, Washington, DC.</font color=blue>

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